Lost and Found
by Raya Light
Summary: Stories of the awakening of the Minor Asteroid Senshi. WIP, includes the previously published story "Wild". Vesta 1 , Pallas 1 , a filler 1 , and Juno 2 .
1. Wild

Title:Wild  
Author:Raya  
Theme:Outer Senshi  
Genre:General / Comedy / Drama  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely borrowed them, like dolls, to pass the time.

**Wild**

Sailor Mars looked around suspiciously as she sensed an unexpected presence. In the evening twilight, the palace garden seemed peaceful. Birds chipped their final farewell to the sun. Cicadas sang a noisy welcome to the night. The restless spirit she had just settled seemed inclined to stay settled. But something or someone was out there.

Finally, the "feel" and "flavor" of the presence made a connection inside her head, and a smile blossomed on her face. '_So, are we playing tonight?_' she wondered idly as she slowly turned back towards the Crystal Palace. She stretched her senses, looking for the partner or the forthcoming attack which would start the game. She stopped as a familiar voice called her name. '_Guess not._' She tried to keep her disappointment from showing as she turned to greet her visitor.

Sailor Neptune walked out of the shadows of a nearby sakura tree, and paused in the middle of the path. She smiled knowingly as if she could sense Sailor Mars' disappointment. Sailor Mars would not have been surprised, as the older senshi's intuition was at least as strong as her own.

"Good evening, Neptune," she called with a small bow.

"And to you, Mars. Have you some free time tonight?" the aqua haired senshi asked as she returned the formality. Her smile grew as a curious expression filled the younger senshi's face. "We found something that Uranus thought you'd be interested in."

Sailor Mars' brow furrowed in thought for a moment, and then she nodded. "With Small Lady still gone, I happen to be free tonight," she replied. "What is it?"

Sailor Neptune shook her head. "That's for you to say," she replied teasingly. "We think we know, but…"

The younger senshi snorted softly at this deliberate air of mystery, but willingly walked over to stand beside her. Sailor Neptune reached out to grasp her hand, and a bright light surrounded them. When it vanished, so had the senshi.

Sailor Mars blinked rapidly and put up a hand to shield her eyes as she tried to adjust from evening twilight to full day. Around her, she heard different birds singing. "Where are we?" she asked as she lowered her arm and studied the trees around her.

"Transylvania," Sailor Neptune replied. Her smile grew more sympathetic when Sailor Mars tensed and hissed in surprise. It had been in Transylvania that Phantom had captured and brainwashed Sailor Mercury. Centuries later, the Senshi of Wisdom was still dealing with the scars. Oddly, she still liked the small European country, and was the only Inner Senshi inclined to visit it.

Sailor Mars glared at the tall evergreens around her. "Why are we here?" she asked tightly. Just as she finished speaking, a large stag with an impressive rack burst into the clearing. Both senshi jumped in surprise, spun quickly to face the new 'threat', and then relaxed.

"You'll see," Sailor Neptune replied quietly as she powered down to her civilian form. She waited patiently as the younger senshi debated with herself, and then powered down as well.

She had just finished when a child ran into the clearing. She cried out something to the stag in a language that Rei did not recognize. It merely tossed its head, and pranced in place. The child spoke again, sounding a little disgusted and put out.

Rei tilted her head to one side and smiled as the oddly dressed girl stomped her way over to the deer. She didn't look much older than Small Lady appeared, maybe twelve or thirteen. The patchwork of greens and browns she wore reminded her of old-style camouflage. It seemed the red-headed girl had found an old uniform somewhere, and had used strips of the same material to try and make it fit. Her hair was long and tangled, and her face was smudged with dirt.

Rei's smile faded quickly and her eyes widened, however, when she saw the stag lower its head and paw the ground. He had at least eight points on his rack, and they were all aimed at the young girl. Before Rei could move, Michiru grabbed her arm.

The girl stopped and glared at the deer. She spoke to it irritably as she crossed her arms. Her conversation would have been more amusing if her partner had looked a little less aggressive.

Rei felt something soft brush her leg, and jumped with a soft cry of surprise. Instantly, the girl and stag turned to stare at the two senshi. The child called something to them, sounding suspicious as she began to edge away. There was no doubt in Rei's mind what she had said. Who are you?

Flashing a quick glance at Michiru, she raised her hands and tried to project reassurance. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she called softly in Japanese.

The girl came to a stop near the trees at the other side of the clearing. Her suspicious expression, however, did not fade. The stag moved to stand near her right hand and pawed the ground while he shook his horns aggressively at them. Rei's and Michiru's eyes widened as they realized that a fox was sitting on her left. It looked up at the girl and gave a small yip, and then looked back at the two foreign women.

"Umm…," Rei started again, a little uncertainly. "We were just passing by. I thought that stag was going to hurt you, and I was a little worried." '_What are you babbling about, Rei?_' she thought furiously to herself. '_The child probably doesn't even speak Japanese._' The thought faded away at the girl's surprised expression.

"Hurt me?" she asked in roughly accented Japanese. "Why would he hurt me? All I did was ask him to give me a ride to the waterfall." As Michiru and Rei blinked at her in surprise, she studied them closely. "You aren't from around here," she said as her eyes narrowed suspiciously once more. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Um… We were just out for a walk," Rei improvised quickly. "My friend saw something that she thought might interest me out this way." The girl's suspicious glare did not ease. "My name is Rei. What's your name?" she asked, attempting to change the subject.

"None of your business," the girl replied as she turned to run. Quickly, she disappeared into the trees with her unusual escort.

Rei turned to look up at Michiru, and frowned at the amused expression on the older senshi's face. "That's it?" she asked in exasperation. "That's all you wanted me to see? A child who talks to animals?" She paused, and then repeated her words more slowly. "A child who talks to animals… She doesn't appear to be a threat," she added with another look to her companion.

"Not a threat," an alto voice agreed. Rei started, and turned to see Haruka emerging from the trees to her left. "You handled that really well," the taller senshi smirked.

Rei ignored her and thought back over her encounter with the strange child. There was something… something… familiar about her? Absently, she walked across the clearing to follow the girl's trail. Although she had left no signs of her passing that Rei could read, her aura burned as brightly as a beacon to the trained miko. Michiru and Haruka exchanged glances and followed quietly after her.

Several minutes later, they came to a shallow pool in a river bed. Rei walked over to a tall tree, and looked up. Startled eyes the color of red beryl met hers. Fear and anger quickly replaced the surprise, but Rei didn't notice. The eyes had finally given her the clue she had sought.

As the girl scrambled higher into her tree, Rei stared at her with a shocked expression on her face. Hidden in the trees off to the side, Haruka and Michiru exchanged a meaningful glance. "What is your name?" she asked the girl again.

"I'm not telling you," was her reply.

Rei's face scrunched up in thought. It had been so long ago, but she had met this girl once. No… more than once; first as an enemy, then as a partner, and finally as a friend. "Bessa…" she breathed as her eyes focused on the girl once more. "Bessa-chan?"

The child's eyes looked like they would pop out of her head, and then a furious, stubborn look settled on her face. "I'm not going back. You can't make me. I don't know who you are, but you can't make me go back." Rei merely nodded slowly. "I don't want to live with my uncle," Bessa continued stridently. "I want to stay here! I'm perfectly fine here, by myself."

"But, she'll be looking for you," Rei pointed out in a reasonable tone.

Bessa broke off her tirade and gave Rei a puzzled look. "Who? My uncle's not a girl!"

Rei chuckled. "No, not your uncle." Her violet gaze held Bessa's red one. "She'll be so disappointed if you aren't there when she returns. You really don't want to disappoint her, do you?"

"Since I don't know who you're talking about," Bessa muttered in reply, "it's kind of hard to care."

Rei smiled. "I'm talking about this," she replied as she held out her hand. Bessa watched wide-eyed as a tongue of flame appeared and danced around her palm. When it disappeared, a small orange-red henshin pen remained. Wordlessly, Rei held up to the girl.

Bessa stared at it suspiciously for a long moment. Then, her expression softened. Slowly, cautiously, she crept back down the tree. She paused above Rei, just out of reach, and studied the pen more closely. Then, moving faster than most normal eyes could see, she snatched it away. Rei merely lowered her arm, and waited patiently.

Michiru took a firm hold of Haruka's arm and pulled her away. The taller senshi gave her a pouting look. '_Why?_' she asked telepathically. '_It was just getting good!_'

'_You can't stay and play,_' her partner replied sternly the same way. '_Do you want to mess up the time line? You can tease her in a few years._' Haruka continued to pout, but her eyes twinkled with anticipation.

Meanwhile, Bessa retreated a little up into the tree, sat on a branch and turned the pen over and over in her hands. "Vesta Power Make Up," Rei said softly below her. When the girl's eyes flashed to her, she caught them with her own. She continued in a serious voice. "Vesta Power Make Up. If you wish to keep that pen, then that is your vow."

"Vow?" the girl asked softly.

Rei nodded. "Vow. Your power for them to use. Your strength for them to depend on. Your life to keep them safe." Bessa shuddered. "That is your vow. Anything and everything to protect them and this world. Vesta Power Make Up."

Bessa stared at the pen once more. After a long moment of silence, she spoke. "Who?"

"The rulers of the Moon," was Rei's response.

"Are they worth it?" Bessa turned her gaze back to the woman below her and focused all her attention on reading her response.

"Oh yes," Rei breathed. "Yes, they are worth it." Although her expression did not change much, her conviction seemed to surround her like a bright light.

Bessa was suitably impressed. She turned her gaze to the pen once more, and then held it up in the air. "Vesta Power… Make UP!"


	2. Homesick

Title: Lost and Found: Homesick  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Rain  
Genre: General / Drama  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. Paper dolls, however, can be used by anyone.

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Please let me know if you see something that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya _

Lost and Found  
_Homesick_

Ami clenched her coat more tightly around her and shivered as she climbed up the rocky trail towards her hotel. Freezing mist from the ocean made it quite treacherous in spots, and so she had to watch her step. It seemed unnatural to her for it to be so cold in the middle of July, but for southern Australia the weather was quite normal.

'_Why? Why did Harry have to pick July to show me his new rehabilitation clinic?_' she thought miserably as she climbed. As much as she loved mist, it made the cold feel as if it were seeping into her very bones. '_And why ever did I agree? I knew that it's the middle of winter here! I suppose I can blame it on the three long days of lectures and workshops. That is enough to numb anybody's mind._' She shivered again as she paused to see how much further she had left to go.

She caught her breath in amazement. Harry had been right. The view of the old hotel from below was incredible. It looked as if were perching right on the very edge of the cliff, ready to tumble into the ocean at any moment. And yet, it looked reassuringly sturdy at the same time. From this angle, its weathered stone made it seem almost a part of the mountain although Ami knew it sat in a large clearing well back from the edge of the cliff.

As she drew her attention away from the view and back to the trail in front of her, a flash of something pale against the dark, wet stone caught her eye. She looked towards it instinctively, and then drew in a sharp breath.

A young girl perched precariously on an outcrop not far from her holding a sketch pad in her lap. It had been either her bouncing, pale blue hair or her white, fluttering scarf that had caught Ami's attention. Her sturdy brown coat, dark blue pants, and boots seemed to blend into the stone around her. From her size, Ami judged her to be no more than about ten years of age.

Frowning in concern, Ami quickly made her way towards the girl. As she climbed, she suddenly realized that the child's unique hairstyle seemed somewhat familiar. It wasn't until she was almost upon the girl and opening her mouth to call out, however, that she finally remembered it. The greeting died out in her throat, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Ami hesitated a long moment, and then slowly made her way over to sit beside the girl. Another fluttering movement drew her eyes down to the sketch pad in the child's hands. The paper curled and whipped a bit in the ocean breeze making it impossible for Ami to see what was drawn on it.

"I know," the girl said in English, her gaze never straying from the vast ocean in front of them. Her soft voice was just barely audible over the ocean waves. "I know, it's time to go in to the wedding. Mother is probably missing me. And I'm not even dressed." She sighed. "Another wedding, another step-father. Another new home." Her face grew sad at that thought, and a tear began to trace its way down her cheek. "I want to go home," she whispered as her hands tightened on the sketch pad.

Ami bit her lip uncertainly. She didn't know what to say to ease the girl's pain. She could not remember much of their time together so long ago, but she was sure she had never see the girl look quite so sad.

"I want to be warm again, to see the sun," she continued as the tears began to flow faster. "I want to hear the waves crash on the sandy beach, not this rocky mountainside or a river bank. I want to feel the rain, smell the flowers and trees. Alexandria wasn't too bad. It really wasn't. At least it had the library. But this... This is nothing like home. I want to go to Athína. I want to go _home_..." Her voice choked off as she began to sob.

Unable to sit by idly any longer, Ami quickly reached out and put a reassuring arm around the girl's shoulders. "I want to go home, too," she replied in English. "It's too cold here for July, isn't it? And I miss them. I've only been gone a week, but I miss them so much."

The girl nodded, and then stiffened. Quickly, rubbing a hand over her face to erase her tears, she turned to look at Ami. "Wh-Who are you?" she asked tremulously.

Ami smiled into the blue aquamarine eyes. "My name is Ami. And you are Pallas."

Pallas' eyes grew wide. "How... How did you...?"

"I know many things," Ami replied as her eyes grew more solemn. "I know that you are lonely. I know that you are homesick. I know that when you say home, you do not mean Athens." She watched as Pallas' eyes grew wider. And then, the girl shook her head, her balled blue hair bouncing around her head.

"I do mean Athens. Athens is home!" she exclaimed. "You don't know anything!" Clutching her sketch pad to her chest with one hand, she scrambled up to her feet.

"I do know," Ami said gently, not moving from her cold perch. "It's not enough, is it? Even in Athens, something is missing." Pallas froze, and then slowly turned to look at the older woman. "But I know where home is," Ami continued.

Acting on instinct, she held her hand out into the ocean mist. Somehow, she knew that rain would have been better, but that the mist would work. Pallas watched wide eyed as a dark aqua light began to glow around Ami's hand. Slowly, it condensed into what looked like a pen. Ami drew her hand in, and then turned her cobalt gaze to Pallas once more. Pallas' eyes never left the transformation pen.

"Home isn't a place," Ami said seriously. "It is, as the English say, where your heart is. Home is where you are at peace. For us, that is within the gentle light of the moon."

"The moon?" Pallas whispered softly. She frowned, as if something about that did not sound right. Her aquamarine eyes tore themselves away from the transformation pen, and met Ami's solemn gaze.

Ami nodded, and then held up the transformation pen. "This will guide you there. But, it comes with a price."

Pallas gave her a sudden, wry smile. "All things have a price," she replied. "It's written in every song and legend. So what is the price for this?"

Ami tilted her head curiously, mentally added a few years to Pallas' apparent age, and then brought her mind back to the task at hand. "Everything," she answered simply.

"Everything?" Pallas' expression became confused.

Ami nodded. "Everything. Every dream, every desire... every breath ceases to be for you alone. Should the need arise, your very life would be forfeit."

Pallas' eyes widened with shock. "My... My _life_? In exchange for a guide to some mysterious unknown thing? No. No thanks." She backed away, clutching her sketch pad to her chest.

Ami smiled as she shook her head. "Mysterious, yes, and unknown as of yet. But a thing? Oh no. Not a thing. A person. A warm and loving person. You exchange everything, and she will give you everything in return. Her dreams will become yours, and yours will become hers. She is waiting, longing to give you her heart and hoping that you will give her yours."

"Who?" Pallas asked, intrigued in spite of herself.

"Moon." Ami's smile grew a little when Pallas gave her an exasperated look, but she did not say more.

"The moon. Right." Pallas studied Ami and realized that that was the only answer she was going to get for now. "And what is this 'Moon' like?"

"Terrifying," Ami answered instantly, her face softening. "She is young, like you, yet she willingly embraces so many risks. She's stubborn, loving, rash, frustrating, independent, emotional, and egotistical." A wide, loving smile grew on her face. "Just like her mother. Most often, you will find yourself trying to save her from her own rash actions." Her smile softened again. "But she will trust you completely, and for every tear you cry she will cry at least two. She will do her best to protect you from everything, even as you try to protect her."

Ami stopped speaking, and let Pallas digest her words for a few moments. "I will not lie to you," she continued. "If you accept this charge, you will become a warrior like her. That is why I said terrifying. Your job and overwhelming desire will be to protect her, but she will constantly put herself at risk. For you, for her parents, and for this world."

The silence stretched out again, broken only by the waves far below. Ami watched as the young girl tried to assimilate all of her answers. She could see the warrior returning to life in her light blue eyes, yearning for the promise she subconsciously remembered. She could also see the very natural fear.

Ami felt a spurt of thankfulness that she had never had to go through this process. When her turn had come, it had been accept the power or die. She knew that she would have agonized even more than Pallas over this decision, if indeed she could have made one.

"You do not have to, you know," Ami said at last as she lowered the transformation pen to her lap. "The choice is entirely yours. Choose to take up this pen and release the warrior within you, or leave it be and live your life as a normal person. You do not even have to choose now."

"Give it to me," Pallas said hurriedly as Ami moved to put the transformation pen in her coat pocket. The older woman gave her a surprised look. Pallas' eyes were almost anxious as they stared at her pen. "Please...," she asked as she held out her hand.

Ami's eyes widened when she felt the transformation pen tug its way free of her grasp. She watched in surprise as it flew to Pallas' open hand, and then smiled.

"Pallas Power, Make-up," she said gently as the younger girl stared at the pen in disbelief. When Pallas looked up at her, she nodded. "Those are the words you are looking for."

Slowly, Pallas nodded back. "Pallas Power... Make-UP!"


	3. Reassurance

Title: Reassurance  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Cats / Distracted  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G  
Word Count: ~1,084

Disclaimer: Serenity, Luna, and the princess were created by Takeuchi Naoko who still owns them heart, body, and soul. I have merely convinced Morgana to dress up as (a terrible cosplay of) Luna and ignored her protests as I made her play with my niece's Sailor Moon dolls.

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Reassurance

Luna stood in the doorway of the brightly lit room and studied the thin, pale woman sitting behind the desk. Long white hair shifted gently as the woman reached out to turn the page of the album on the desk in front of her, its true length hidden as its color blended into her long white dress.

'_Mercury was right,_' the small black cat thought to herself as she noted the woman's melancholic expression. '_She needs a distraction. I hope this is enough._'

"Serenity-sama?" she called quietly. She hid a frown as the woman started slightly, quickly closed the album, and turned to face her.

"Luna," the queen called quietly with a smile. It faded into a puzzled frown. "Did I forget an appointment?" she asked as she looked towards the small screen on her desk which contained her schedule.

"No," the cat replied reassuringly. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to startle you. I thought you realized I was here."

The queen's smile returned as she ran a hand over the white book in front of her. "I was a bit distracted," she admitted.

"Is that one of the Princess' scrapbooks?" Luna asked curiously as she stepped forward. When the queen nodded and opened the album once more, she realized that the situation was worse than they had feared.

Centuries ago, the queen had begun to build a scrapbook from the things the princess had given to her. She also included other bits of information, such as certificates that her heir had won, articles written about her, and pictures from various celebrations. There were now ten volumes of the albums, Luna knew, one for each century of the princess' life. Each book was a different color and bore a different pattern. The latter ones were all colors of the rainbow, but the eldest three were bound in the royal colors: pink, gold, and white. The princess would be very surprised, one day, when she found these albums and saw the contents, particularly of the oldest one with the pink binding.

"Do you remember this one?" Serenity asked as fingered a yellowed page of art paper. Curious, Luna jumped onto the desk and looked down.

"That was supposed to be a castle, right?" she asked in an amused voice as she tilted her head to the side. "And those squiggly lines over there were you and the princess."

The queen nodded, her smile also amused, and then reached out to touch a tiny black blob. "And this was you," she teased. When her advisor huffed and sat down on the desk, she laughed lightly. "You still do not believe me."

"It looks nothing like me," Luna pointed out reasonably. "Even the scale is wrong." When the queen continued to laugh, she leaned forward and put a gentle paw over the spot. "See? It's just a bad place on the paper."

"If you say so," Serenity replied as her laughter faded away. She looked at the childish scribble once more, and the sad expression returned to her face.

"Serenity-sama?" Luna asked tentatively. The queen's expression tugged at her heart.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" the queen asked softly as she slowly turned the page. "She wanted it so much... But it is wrong. It breaks the taboo. Should I have told her no?"

Luna considered her response as she studied her queen for a few moments. "Is it that it breaks the taboo?" she asked finally. "Or, is it the consequences she might face for breaking it?"

The queen looked up at the small black cat. "Both," she admitted, sounding reluctant. "But more the latter. She will be in danger. The fights... the heartbreaks... the things I cannot tell her..."

Luna shook her head, stood up, and took another step closer to the white haired woman. "She knows the risks. And you cannot deny her this chance to grow. You said that yourself." She stopped as the queen winced and turned away. Quickly, she thought back over her words and then shook her head again, this time more sharply. "That is not what I meant! I mean..."

"Luna." The queen held up a slender hand, and the cat immediately stopped talking. "I know what you meant. But, the rest is also true," she continued as she lowered her hand and caressed the crudely drawn picture of a rose. "She deserves this chance at happiness. I just wish... I just wish that it would be less risky." She sighed softly, and closed the album.

"She will be fine, Serenity-sama," Luna said reassuringly as she watched the queen stand up and carry the pink scrapbook across the room towards its secret vault. "She is strong, and she has the senshi watching over her. They would give their lives to keep her safe, even from herself."

"Yes," the queen sighed as she closed the safe. "Of course they will. She is their princess after all..."

"She is their friend," Luna corrected, her tone sharp once again as her tail lashed irritably behind her. Sometimes, her queen's attitude irritated her.

The queen looked at the cat over her shoulder, and then chuckled. "Of course she is. I just meant that they will take even more care because she is the princess. And they are not the only ones watching over her," she added as she nodded her head slightly. "The prince will do everything in his power to protect her." She smiled fondly. "He loves her even more than they do, if that is possible."

"It is possible," Luna murmured as she walked across the desk and jumped to the floor. "So… Since that is settled, do you think you have a few moments to see Mercury's surprise?"

Serenity looked at her advisor curiously. "Mercury's surprise?"

Luna nodded as she walked towards the door. "Out in the city, she tells me," she said in a mysterious tone as she looked over her shoulder. "Something about 'twelve years old' and 'aquamarine'." Her blue eyes sparkled as she saw her queen's interested expression. '_Yes, this should prove quite distracting,_' she thought to herself as Serenity began to walk towards her.

"Twelve years and aquamarine?" Serenity murmured as she stepped around the small black cat. "Give me a few minutes to change," she said more loudly as she hurried towards her dressing room.

"Yes, Neo-Queen Serenity-sama," Luna replied with teasing formality. From the dressing room doorway, the Queen of Crystal Tokyo gave her old friend an equally teasing glare and then hurried away to slip into something less formal.


	4. Runaway

Title: Lost and Found - Runaway  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Villains ('cause dark_branwen said it was all right to consider this a villain piece)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: 3,416

Disclaimer: Most of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper dolls to play with for a little while.

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Please let me know if you see something that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Lost and Found  
_Runaway_

June swung her bat in the warm up circle and tried to keep her focus. If her team won this game, they would advance to the World Softball Championships in Crystal Tokyo. They had never been this far before, and it was a really heady feeling.

Scary, too. The Western Canada team that they were playing was phenomenal. They, too, were trying to get to Crystal Tokyo for the first time, and right now the score was 3-3 at the bottom of the sixth. Now was the time that the nerves would start to come back, and the simple mistakes would be made. June was determined that those mistakes would not be made by her.

The crack of the bat made her look up, and she watched as Kerry dashed for first base. June smiled as the orange-headed girl made it easily, and stepped out to take her place in the batter's box.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she froze at the edge of the field. She relaxed a little and continued walking when she verified that it was just Hodgkinson moving into position.

The nondescript man stood in the shadows of the dugout and watched as his charge stepped out into the sunlight to take her turn. He really, really hated watching her step out there unprotected, but there was nothing more he could do. The stadium was as secure as the government could make it, and he had gone over every inch of the place himself before her team had arrived to warm-up.

Still, his eyes glanced over the monitor screens, and he shifted forward so that he could scan the entire area one last time as she took her place in the batter's box. He looked to the right as the pitcher began to wind up, and caught the eye of the Secret Service agent standing behind the first base coach. The man nodded once to show that he was ready.

The soft puff of air as the catcher caught the ball was familiar enough by now that he did not jump. "Ball!" the umpire judged. Hodgkinson just turned his eyes to the woman standing guard behind third base. He tensed as he saw her looking intently towards the left outfield, and then relaxed when she did.

Another soft thump reached his ears as he scanned the top edge of the stands. "Ball two!" the umpire called.

"Good eye, June, good eye! Come on! You can do it!" one of the girls next to him cried as she clapped her hands. Hodgkinson frowned. They knew he hated that. "Wait for your pitch!"

"Stee-ee-rike!" the umpire called.

"Hey! That was low!" another girl called irritably.

"Never mind. Take your pitch, girl! Don't take what she wants to give you," another one called.

"Let's go, June!"

The girls were oblivious to Hodgkinson's glare as they crowed up near him and cheered their teammate on. Even the coach, who was usually good about making the girls mind the ground rules of June's security team, ignored him and clapped encouragingly as well. "Go, June!" the man hollered.

Irritated yet resigned, Hodgkinson turned his attention to the field once more. He saw the pitch, and a trace of a smile tugged at his lips. His girl would be all over that one. Sure enough, the bat cracked soundly, and June began the race to first base. In the dugout, her team cheered.

All trace of a smile left as he watched the first base coach urge her on. Hodgkinson tensed as June raced towards second base, and was held up by the third base coach. He glared at the two women. They knew better! If June couldn't make it to third, they were to hold her at first! He cursed as his charge was left in one of the most unprotected spots of the entire stadium.

There wasn't anything he could do about it, though, except work his way closer to the field. His team drew in as well, and if he knew them as well as he thought he did, both coaches were getting an earful. June, herself, looked completely unconcerned. She squatted down, one foot on base and one foot off, and waited for the next batter to send her around.

It took ten terrifying minutes, but June made it safely back to the dugout flushed with excitement and triumph. Kerry had been tagged out, but June had made it in. Now all they had to do was hold on to the lead.

When she saw the fuming head of her security detail, her triumph was replaced by irritation. She rolled her eyes, and decided to ignore him until he could calm down.

An hour later, she and her friends jumped up and down, screaming in excitement as their star batter raced around the field for the new tie-breaking run. As the girl crossed home plate and won them the game, they boiled out of the dugout and onto the field. Hodgkinson just barely managed to grab June before she ran out with them.

"Let me go!" the green haired girl protested angrily. "I have to..."

"Stay right there," he replied coldly. "You know better!"

She glared up at him, furious. "We won! I have to go congratulate Mira and shake hands!"

He shook his head sternly. "You are staying right there until it's safe." They exchanged glares, but June was the first to finally back down. Pale and trembling with disappointment and anger, she sank down on the nearest bench and tried her best to crush her hat into nothingness.

'_It's not fair!_' she fumed. '_Just because I'm the Premiere's daughter. Ha! No one knows I'm here! Besides, they went over this place ten times with a fine toothed comb, and there has to be at least twenty people in the squad. No one's going to get in here to get me! Why can't I go out?_'

But for all her frustration and anger, June stayed put on the bench. She knew that Hodgkinson was just doing his job, and doing it well. She had almost fourteen years of experience with this protection, so as tempted as she was to rebel and do what she knew she could, she just sat and fumed.

"What are you going to do about Crystal Tokyo?" she finally asked in a relatively polite voice.

Hodgkinson tensed, and then turned cautiously to face her. "Nothing," he said quietly. "There won't be a need."

She hissed in a breath and slowly rose to her feet. Slowly, she stalked two steps towards him, and then met his hard eyes with her own. "I am going to Crystal Tokyo," she said firmly.

"No you're not," he replied just as firmly. They stood there, gazes locked in a battle of will as her teammates slowly trickled into the dugout to retrieve their gear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

June leaned forward and peered out of the limousine window with an eager smile. Crystal Tokyo! She was finally in the Grand Capital. Even her jetlag and Hodgkinson's foul mood could not dim her excitement.

Although she had grown up in and around large cities, June had the oddest feeling that this one was somehow different. The buildings looked surprisingly similar to those in Toronto and New York City. Even the Asian signs did not seem strange. There was a crush of people walking by, and traffic was slow just like in any other major metropolis she'd ever been to. And yet, there was something in the air; a current or smell or something that whispered "This town is special. Something is going to happen.".

Next to her, her father looked up from his paperwork and smiled at her expression. "Happy?" he asked.

She turned to look at him in surprise, and then let her smile widen. "Yeah! Thanks, Dad!"

He shook his head. "Thank your teammates," he replied. "They helped you to get here."

June nodded, her smile dimming as she remembered the conditions she had finally been forced to agree to. Although she was here with her team, she could not join them for the game. It irked her, but she was benched. Officially, she was on the injured list even though she was in great shape. She could not remember being on the injured list before in her life, and she wasn't too thrilled about being on it now.

But, at least she was here. She would be able to watch the game and cheer her teammates on to victory. And they had all assured her that her presence would be enough. They would miss her speed and her third base skills, but they were sure they could work around it.

"Are you ready for the dinner day after tomorrow?" he asked in an attempt to distract her from her thoughts. She grimaced. "Yes, you have to go," he said before she could ask.

"Why'd you have to tell Queen Isadora that I was coming?" she muttered irritably. "She just wants to set me up with some European prince or something."

Her father shook his head with a smile as he turned back to the never ending paperwork. "You'll have fun. I promise," he assured her. Her soft snort as she turned back to the window was her only response.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What do you mean, I can't go to the dugout?" June asked tightly as she clenched her fists.

"I didn't have the chance to sweep it," Hodgkinson replied, fighting back a sigh. He should have known she would not take this well.

"The agreement was that I could be with the team even if I couldn't play," she ground out, her peridot green eyes flashing.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"No you're not," she flared. "You never wanted me to be here in the first place. Now that I am, you want to lock me up in some executive box so that there's only one unprotected side. I can't watch the game from up there! I can't see or hear anything!"

"It has a perfectly good view," he replied trying his best to help her see the bright side of the situation. "You'll be up high enough you can see all of the plays."

"I'll be behind six inches of bullet proof glass! There will be no air, no noise, no dust... Nothing! I might as well stay in the hotel and watch it on the TV!" She drew in a deep breath when she saw the considering look on his face. "Oh no you won't!" she yelled as she spun around. Before he could stop her, she raced out into the concourse around the field.

He cursed, and reached for his radio as he took off after her. "Code Orange, Code Orange! The leprechaun is on the run. Murphy, get down to the dugout. That's probably where she's headed."

June pushed herself deeper into the dark corner and watched Hodgkinson run by. She knew better, yes, but this was absolutely the last straw. Glancing around carefully, she made a dash for the women's restroom. Once inside, she lowered the top three braids of her distinctive hair style. She frowned at her reflection in the mirror, and then decided to buy a local team hat. If she wore her own, she would be easily spotted.

Ten minutes later, she had a new hat, shirt, sunglasses, fan, and a large softdrink. She had come close to being caught by her security detail a couple of times, but somehow she had managed to dodge just fast enough to slip by them. She slipped out onto the third base side of the stands and stopped to debate how to find a seat for the game.

She noted that there were a lot of empty seats near the outfield, but she reluctantly decided against them except as a last resort. Hodgkinson really would have a fit if she put herself in quite that much danger. The dugout was out since they would be looking for her there. She probably would not be able to get within ten feet of it, even in the stands above.

"Um, excuse me..."

June jumped, and then moved out of the doorway. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, her heart racing with surprise and fear.

"No problem," the tall woman replied with a smile. Like June, she was wearing a ball cap and sunglasses and carrying a fan. She started to walk by, and then turned towards June again. "Did you need some help?" she asked curiously.

June laughed nervously as she reached for the back of her head. "No, not really. I was just looking to see if I could sneak into a better seat, but they look pretty full over here."

"A seat?" The woman smiled. "It just so happens, I have an open seat beside me. My friend had to cancel on me at the last minute. Would you like to try it out?"

June shifted a little uncertainly. It was tempting, but a little too convenient.

"You don't have to, but it would actually help me out," the woman said with a smile. "I'll go crazy without someone to talk with about the game."

June suddenly smiled. "And what if I didn't know anything about softball?" she asked as she relaxed.

The woman laughed. "Oh, it wouldn't matter. I'd just talk to you about it anyway. My friend, Minako, doesn't know a whole lot about it either. She says she just comes so that she can look at the cute guys in their uniforms."

June laughed, too, and indicated that the woman should lead the way. "No wonder she bailed today. It's a girls' softball game." She raised her fan and waved it towards the field, discreetly shielding her face as one of the security team walked by.

"Yeah," the woman replied with a wicked glint in her eye. "That's what I kinda figured. So, do you like softball?"

They made small talk on their way down to the seats. June couldn't believe her luck when she discovered she was right over the dugout, but far enough back not to be spotted. She also quickly discovered that the people around her were quite enthusiastic about the game, so she could get as excited as she wanted without attracting undue attention.

Makoto watched the girl out of the corner of her eye. Something about her was very familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on what. It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the girl took off her sunglasses for a moment to wipe some dust out of her eye that Makoto finally figured it out. She spent the next inning and a half wondering how she could ask June to come up to the palace without seeming like a stalker or a crazed person.

"Eeep!" June suddenly squawked as she sat down abruptly in her seat. Makoto looked over in surprise as she began to fan her face rapidly. "Oh blast. Blast blast blast," the girl muttered in English.

Makoto followed her gaze, and tilted her head curiously when she saw a medium sized, nondescript man with a ferocious scowl on his face coming towards them. "Friend of yours?" she asked curiously as June cringed closer to her. "Sorta..." was the mumbled response.

Making a sudden decision, Makoto stood and dragged June up with her. '_Wrong move,_' she thought instantly to herself when the man froze. Something about his stance told her that he had just gone into hyper protective mode. She had seen enough bodyguards in her day to recognize one and to know when he was on alert.

"Let's go," she said softly to June. Apologizing to the other people in the row, she turned to lead the way making sure that she kept her hands in front of her. She used every signal that she could think of to show that she was not forcing the girl behind her to do anything. When they reached the end of the row, she chanced a glance back and sighed with relief when she saw that he had relaxed a tiny bit. Although he still looked tense and angry, he no longer looked like he wanted to put a bullet between her shoulder blades.

"This way, hurry," she ordered as she jogged up the stairs. June stayed right on her heels. "Watch your right."

"And left, ten o'clock," June muttered back. She did not stop to wonder why she trusted the tall woman whose name she still did not know. She just followed her into the concourse and around.

"Not that it's any of my business, but care to tell me why these guys are chasing you?" Makoto asked conversationally as she turned to avoid yet another one.

June grimaced. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get you mixed up in this."

"Oh no problem," Makoto replied as she steered towards the stairs to the club level. Greatly daring, she reached out and snagged June's wrist at the bottom of the stairs. She flashed something at the guard, and then pulled the girl up to the next level. Overhead, a green light and a grey light flashed as they ran up the steps. Makoto released her wrist when they reached the top, and made a show of reaching up to settle her ball cap. She paused and watched as their pursuers were stopped by the stadium security, and then jogged after June once more.

"We're safe here," she said when she caught up. June gave her a surprised look and slowed to a stop. "This is a restricted level. It will take them time to get permission to come up here."

"Oh...," the girl breathed as she looked around in surprise. "It won't take him long at all. Hodgkinson has all the right connections."

"I can get you out if you want," Makoto offered tentatively.

June looked at her uncertainly. For a moment, she was tempted, but it passed quickly. "No," she sighed reluctantly. "No, I'm already going to get it for being AWOL so long. But thanks for the offer."

Makoto nodded, and then turned back towards the stairs. "So, you want to go back?"

"Not really, no," June replied as she reluctantly turned around as well. "All I wanted was to watch the game in peace somewhere where I could enjoy it!"

"And because of all this, you're missing the end," Makoto replied sympathetically. "If you hurry, maybe they will at least let you watch it on the monitors. Or... I know!" She sped up, and June followed her curiously as they hurried back to the stairs.

The group of people below looked up anxiously when they reached the top of the steps once more. "Wait," Makoto said as she placed her arm in front of June. They ignored the men and women below as Makoto pointed to a large television monitor mounted over the foot of the stairs. "There. Now you can see it. Ah! Bottom of the seventh with two outs. We're just in time!"

"We're ahead!" June exclaimed in excitement. "Mira must've knocked Sophie around. Come on, Jess, put some pepper on that ball!"

Still fuming at his inability to reach his charge, Hodgkinson ordered his team to fan out and provide what coverage they could. Above them, standing unprotected out in the open, June and the mysterious woman cheered and worried over the last few minutes of the game. He looked up when the girl's agonized voice reached him.

"Tag her! Tag her! Tag her! No! Argh! Sophie! Yes, get it to Kerry! No! Ah! Yes! Yes! Yes! We won! We won!" June threw her arms around Makoto, and jumped up and down in excitement. "WOOOO!!" Forgetting for a moment that the leader of her security team was rightly furious with her, she raced down the stairs. "We won! We won!" she cheered as she threw herself at him. "We won, Hodgkinson, we won!"

Makoto smiled as he took the opportunity she gave him, wrapped his arms protectively around her, and spun her around until she was protected on all sides by security guards. With that level of security and that high degree of professionalism, she suspected that she would be seeing June again soon at the Global Diet dinner. She studied the group for another few moments, and then decided to wait them out in the royal box. She didn't feel like explaining herself, and she was kind of thirsty anyway.


	5. And Then There Were Three

Title: Lost and Found - And Then There Were Three  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Villains (sorta... kinda...)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)  
Rating: G  
Word Count: 3035

Disclaimer: Most of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into paper dolls to play with for a little while.

_Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Please let me know if you see something that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya_

Lost and Found  
_And Then There Were Three_

June sighed morosely as she handed her wrap to the door attendant. As she had feared, Hodgkinson had been beyond furious with her. What she had forgotten, though, was that he would tell her father. She had been grounded instantly. She didn't even get to call her teammates and congratulate them on their win, much less go to their victory dinner the night before. She supposed she should count herself lucky that she had been allowed to send them a short written message. And now, she had to put up with a boring State social and dinner. The only reason she had been allowed to come was because her father knew she would rather do anything else so he deemed it part of her punishment.

Her pale green chiffon dress felt strange against her skin. June was much more comfortable in jeans, tee shirts, and athletic gear, and only wore dressy clothes when she had to. She had to keep reminding herself to take small, ladylike steps so she would not accidentally step on the hem and trip herself.

"Ah, June! How nice to see you child!"

June barely smothered a wince as Queen Isadora swept up to her and gave her an airy kiss on either cheek. "My, you're looking lovely tonight," the Iberian queen said with a smile as she studied the uncomfortable girl. "Such a nice change seeing you in something so feminine. Although, I see you've left your hair in its usual style..."

June blushed slightly as she bowed her head. As always, Queen Isadora was dressed in the height of style. Her long black hair was swept into a French chignon, and her long, black, sleeveless dress copied the style. If the older queen had been a slim young girl still, the style would have looked stunning on her. Instead, it subtly emphasized her thickening waist and arms.

"Oh, no matter," the stately lady said quickly, "it looks good on you. Have you met Heinrich?"

June glanced up quickly through her green eyelashes and studied the young man. He was better looking than the last one that the queen had attempted to set her up with, she had to admit, but she was still uncomfortable. "No, ma'am," she replied softly wanting desperately to escape.

"Ah, well then, please let me make the introductions! Heinrich, may I introduce you to June Night? She is the only daughter of Premiere Night and Former Vice Premier Night of the North American States, and a rare sight at these social occasions. June, this is Sir Heinrich Hauptman. His parents are the Count and Countess of Lothringen in the Central European Union. I understand he is quite a football player."

"How do you do," the two of them muttered to each other. June looked around unobtrusively, but desperately, for her father or one of his aides. Her eyes were caught, instead, by a red haired girl in a pale orange dress that looked just as uncomfortable as she felt. The girl's hair was also caught up high on her head, and bound together until it resembled a whip or a tail of some sort. June's eyes widened in surprise to see another person with a hairstyle similar to hers.

"If you'll excuse me," she said suddenly as she dipped a hasty curtsy, "I think I see a friend I need to speak to." Quickly, she escaped and hurried over to stand beside the other girl. The redhead was so focused on arranging her dress that she did not sense June's presence.

"When do you think they'll finally break out the food?" June asked conversationally. She smiled as the other girl jumped a little and turned to look at her. Eyes the color of rare red beryl widened in surprise, and then looked confused.

"You... Were you talking to me?" she asked tentatively.

June nodded. "Yep. I was thinking, if it was going to be a while, maybe we can slip out somewhere and get away from all these strange people."

"They're not strange," another girl said as she came to a stop beside them. June's eyes widened as she took in the pale blue hair, eyes, and dress. She, also, wore her hair in a non-traditional manner. Short braids surrounded her face with small blue balls on the ends. June reached for one of her own braids as she realized that her hairstyle was almost a blend of theirs.

The blue haired girl gave her an admonishing look. "Bessa-san is nervous enough. You don't need to make it worse by saying things like that."

"I am not!" the redhead hissed defensively.

June gave them both a quick smile. "I was just thinking I'd like to get out of here, too. And they are, too, strange. They all like this kind of stuff."

The other girl crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "So I'm strange, too?" she asked a little crossly.

Out of the corner of her eye, June saw Bessa smile and relax. "You said it, not me," she replied with a grin. "But I didn't mean that," she added as the offended girl drew herself up. "I meant that I don't, so to me they're strange. You can come with us, too..."

The blue haired girl blinked, and then deflated. "Go where?" she asked curiously.

June shrugged. "Wherever. Maybe there's an art gallery around here or something where we can hide until dinner's ready. Or a game room! Ever play pool?"

The two other girls gave her puzzled looks. "Pool? I don't have a swimsuit..." the blue hair girl replied.

"Oh, who needs a swimsuit, Pallas-san. It's dark enough out," the redhead said with a sudden wicked gleam in her eye. A faint blush crept up Pallas' face. "But, she meant... um... _biliárdjátszma_, I think."

"Billia- huh? Billi... Billiards? Oh yeah, that's what I meant. Are you European?" June asked as she cocked her head.

"Bessamine Éjjel of Hungary in the East European Federation," the redhead said with a small curtsy.

"Pallas Nychta of Greece in the Mediterranean Union," the blue head said with a small bow.

"June Night of Atlantic Province in the North American States," June said. She looked uncertain for a moment, and then curtsied to Bessa and bowed to Pallas.

The Greek giggled softly, and then got a strange look on her face. "That's weird," she said suddenly. When the other two turned to look at her she turned to June. "Your last name... It's Night like in after day? Or is it like a knight in shining armor?"

"Night like the opposite of day," June replied. "People misspell it all the time because it's a strange last name, but that's what it is."

"Mine, too," Pallas said. When they looked at her expectantly, she continued. "My last name is Nychta. That's Greek for night. Odd how we basically have the same last name."

"That _is_ strange," Bessa interrupted. "Éjjel means night, too." They looked at each other for several long moments. "Weird..." they chorused with a shiver.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Across the room, Super Sailor Jupiter watched the three girls talk with a small smile on her face. Her smile widened as she felt someone come up beside her. "She will be fine with those two," she said reassuringly, not even bothering to turn around.

Hodgkinson raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the wall. "You know them?"

The senshi nodded. "They live in the palace," she replied. "Neo-Queen Serenity-sama has asked them to be part of Princess Serenity-sama's court when she returns from school. It is the Princess' decision, of course, but the Queen is sure they will get along well."

"If the Queen speaks for them, they must be all right," he admitted a little grudgingly.

Super Sailor Jupiter gave him a sidelong look out of the corner of her eye, and then spoke again. "I must apologize to you," she said softly. When he gave her a puzzled look, she continued. "I did not realize that she had slipped away from you yesterday, and then I took her up where you could not follow. That was very inconsiderate of me."

"You...?"

She nodded. "I was off duty, so I was out of uniform," she said calmly. "There was no way you could have known that, so I wanted to apologize."

He was silent for a long moment, and then he nodded. "Thank you, Sailor..."

"Jupiter," she said with a smile as she moved to walk away. "And don't thank me yet," she added. "I'll be stealing her from you soon." At his surprised look, she nodded towards King Endymion. "Someone else has noticed how well they are getting along," she said simply, and then walked away towards the kitchens to check on the progress of dinner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After dinner, June finally managed to sneak out into the banquet hall's garden for a few moments of silence. Knowing the security around the area was extra tight, she made sure to stay on the lit walkways where she could easily be identified. She slipped down the first side path, and soon found herself by a small fountain in front of a rose covered gazebo. She stopped by the fountain, took a deep breath of the heavily scented air, and then slipped into the gazebo with a sigh.

Sitting in the shadows of the gazebo, Super Sailor Jupiter looked up in surprise. She, too, had slipped out for a breath of fresh air and a break from the politics inside. She smiled when she recognized the young girl, and leaned back in the shadows once more.

They spent several minutes in silence before Super Sailor Jupiter spoke. "It's peaceful out here, isn't it?"

June jumped and looked around. She had thought that she was alone. Just as she spotted the woman hidden in the shadows, she recognized the voice. "More peaceful than a softball game, that's true," she said as she relaxed once more.

Super Sailor Jupiter chuckled. "And once again, you are escaping aren't you."

June sighed. "I wish. I can never escape them entirely, though. No matter where I go, there's always _someone_ checking up on me."

"And that irritates you?"

The green haired girl shifted in her seat. "It's just... It seems so unnecessary. I know _why_ they do it, but sometimes it feels like..."

"Like it should be the other way around?" Super Sailor Jupiter shifted so that she could see the girl's face a little better.

June looked surprised and guilty. "How...?"

"You feel it, don't you? The restlessness, the feeling that something is missing, the need to protect someone..."

"Yeah..."

"I remember that feeling. So long ago... It won't set you free, you know."

June looked at the shadowed woman in surprise. "Huh?"

"Finding the one you are supposed to protect. It won't set you free. All this," she waved towards the hall, "would become a normal way to live." She smiled as June grimaced. "The parties, the politics... And unlike your bodyguards, you would be involved, too, not just on the sidelines out of sight. You would have to watch your words and actions. You would have to try not to offend the wrong person at the wrong time."

"So, you're saying I would still be a prisoner."

"Depends on how you define prisoner. A prisoner to the dance, yes. But no more bodyguards watching your every move. No more 'you can't go there', and 'you can't do that'. You could put yourself at risk and no one would bat an eye. Well, almost no one. Your teammates might get upset if its an unnecessary risk, and _she_ will make you feel so guilty you never want to do it again unless you absolutely have to. You would be _expected_ to put yourself at risk, actually, in order to protect her."

"Sounds like you've already got it all planned out," June replied suspiciously.

Super Sailor Jupiter laughed. "No. Really, that's not it. It's just... I know who you are looking for. She'll be home soon, I think. The pieces are starting to fall into place."

"Who?" June asked reluctantly. Just like at the softball game the day before, she trusted this woman. But now, she felt strangely frightened, as if she were on the verge of something bigger than she had ever dreamed of.

"Someone important," Super Sailor Jupiter replied, suddenly unsure of herself. While she knew June was Sailor Juno, she had no idea about how the girl was supposed to discover it. She didn't want to frighten her off with tales of danger and princesses and high level politics.

June snorted. "No. Really?" she asked a little sarcastically. "I thought maybe she was an ordinary schoolgirl or something."

Super Sailor Jupiter could not hold back a laugh. "Well, actually, right now she is. But when she comes home, no one will see her like that. They'll just see a precious pearl that must be protected from all harm. She won't like that, not at all. Like you, she feels the need to protect others."

June was silent for a long moment. "Sounds like we have some things in common," she said finally.

Super Sailor Jupiter nodded. "Both born into a high level of power. Both protected more than you wish to be. Both wishing to be just an ordinary person with an ordinary life. But for both of you, that will never happen, both because of your rank and your destiny."

"Destiny?"

It was Super Sailor Jupiter's turn to be silent for a long moment. It hit her, suddenly, that this was the moment, that Sailor Juno's awakening was near. "Destiny," she finally breathed as she turned to look fully at the girl. "You can turn your back on it, if you wish. You would be safer, and I will only tell those who absolutely need to know. They would not criticize you for it."

"What... What destiny? Being a bodyguard? Who am I supposed to protect?"

"Being a bodyguard would only be part of it. Your destiny... is to be a protector, not of just one person but the whole world. Enemies will come, powerful ones. You will be hurt. One day, you will be defeated and possibly killed."

"A senshi..." June whispered in shock. "You are talking about the senshi." She watched the shadowed woman nod slowly. "That's... That's impossible!"

"Impossible?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked as she held up her gloved hand into the light that filled the middle of the gazebo. Somehow, she knew what to do. "Is this impossible?"

June stared wide-eyed as a rustling sound was followed by the sight of long rose vines falling from the top of the gazebo to the white gloved hand. The long green whips curled around and around until a pale pink rose in full bloom descended from the ceiling and came to a rest on top of them. The rose curled up into itself and began to glow with a greenish-yellow light. June gasped as it slowly lifted off the nest of vines and began to float. Slowly, the petals reopened. Inside, a green henshin pen remained floating in the air as the flower fell gracefully to the nest of vines once more.

"If you take this, you're life will be changed," Super Sailor Jupiter warned. June looked up and saw her face clearly for the first time. "You will go from being protected to protector. All family loyalty will be put aside in order to serve the Moon. No one will be as important to you as the royal family." When June opened her mouth to protest, Super Sailor Jupiter shook her head. "Not because it is required. Not because of brainwashing. Because once you have met them, something inside you will not let it be any other way. You will still love other people, but they will always be the first in your heart."

"It will probably be frightening for you since you have been protected your whole life," she continued as June stared at the floating pen. "You will be lonely and jealous sometimes. You will not always be first in her life, even though she is first in yours. But the love she will give you will be worth it. At least, it has been for me and the others."

"So, which will it be? The life of a pampered princess, always safe and protected? Or the life of a servant, always seeking to protect?" She let her voice trail off, and sat in silence to wait June's decision.

'_This is it,_' June thought to herself as she stared at the pen. '_This is what I have been searching for._' Slowly she lifted her hand. An overwhelming desire to hold that pen in her hand and to feel its power pushed all thoughts of future pain and loyalties from her mind. She could no more resist it than a moth could resist moonlight.

The pen flew to her grasp. As soon as its power touched her skin, she gasped and shivered. She stared down at it, certain that something was supposed to happen. When nothing did, she gave Super Sailor Jupiter a puzzled, slightly frightened look.

The older senshi just smiled reassuringly at her. "Juno Power Make-up," she said gently.

June nodded, and rose to her feet. "Juno Power... Make-UP!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Inside the reception hall, Pallas and Bessa suddenly stiffened and turned to look towards the garden. Something had happened. Something important.

"I knew it..." Bessa breathed as she began to walk towards the door. "She was the third light. I knew it!"

Pallas said nothing. She met her partner at the door and followed her quickly into the garden. People gave them curious looks, wondering why the two girls had suddenly left the room.

King Endymion paused with his drink halfway to his lips, then smiled and continued the motion. '_And then there were three,_' he thought to himself as he began to work his way towards the Premiere of the North American States.


End file.
